Tarpaulin cover systems are used for selectively covering and uncovering the open tops of vehicle bodies. When the tarpaulin is extended lengthwise over the open top the contents in the vehicle body are maintained within the body. Advantageously by retracting the tarpaulin the vehicle body is again exposed through its top. A particularly effective tarpaulin cover system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,178. The tarpaulin system therein includes a plurality of supporting rods or bows which extend across the vehicle body with the tarpaulin itself secured to the bows. A cranking mechanism at one end of the vehicle body can effectively cover or uncover the open top.
When such tarpaulin cover systems are used with vehicles, such as trucks, a lift is sometimes created from the wind which renders the fully extended tarpaulin in a condition so as to be not water tight. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to address such problems. The conventional approach is the use of ropes and straps over the tarpaulin extending from one side of the vehicle body to the other. There is also concern that certain loads should be maintained in a dry condition so that the tarpaulin should be as water tight as practical.